Capillary heater wire

• US 9,724,490 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vyaire Medical 207 Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CareFusion 207, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Korneff, Neil Alex, Rustad, Andre M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOODWARD, VALERIE LYNN
• Application Number:
  US14/971,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20160101258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/109 the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1095 in the connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/164 including a liquid inlet valve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/368 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. IR waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6009 for matching patient with his treatment, e.g. to improve transfusion security
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6081 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/025 : For medical applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 : Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/021 : Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/022 : Heaters specially adapted for heating gaseous material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/032 : Heaters specially adapted for heating by radiation heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/54 : flexible
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/804 : Water heaters, water boilers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 : Heater type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A heater wire including at least one extending component disposed thereon. The heater wire is positioned within a respiratory gas conduit. The heater wire may include a wire component and a groove that extends along a length of the heater wire. The heater wire may also include threads extending from an outer surface of the heater wire that faces away from the wire component. The threads may be woven or braided threads.

Claims

1. A respiratory gas conduit comprising:

a heater wire comprising;

a wire component,

a groove that extends along a length of the heater wire; and

a plurality of threads, each having a first end attached to an outer surface of the heater wire that faces away from the wire component and a second, opposite, free end extending away from the heater wire, the plurality of threads braided around the outer geometry of the heater wire.

2. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 1, wherein the braided threads comprise braided fibers having spaces between the fibers with a geometry configured to facilitate capillary action.

3. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 2, wherein the spaces form a plurality of channels for facilitating a movement of a liquid through the braided threads along the length of the heater wire.

4. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 3, wherein the heater wire comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is configured to be hotter than the first portion.

5. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 4, wherein the plurality of channels are configured to assist in movement of the liquid from the first portion to the second hotter portion of the heater wire for re-evaporation of the liquid.

6. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 5, further comprising a condensation region and a re-evaporation region, wherein the first portion of the heater wire is disposed in the condensation region, and wherein the second portion of the heater wire is disposed in the re-evaporation region.

7. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 6, wherein the groove is configured to:

wick water that has condensed in the condensation region into a portion of the groove in the condensation region; and

transport the wicked water within the groove along a length of the heater wire away from the portion of the groove in the condensation region to the re-evaporation region.

8. A respiratory gas conduit comprising:

a heater wire comprising;

a wire component,

a groove that extends along a length of the heater wire; and

a plurality of threads, each having a first end attached to an outer surface of the heater wire that faces away from the wire component and a second, opposite, free end that extends away from the heater wire.

9. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 8, wherein the threads comprise fibers having spaces between the fibers with a geometry configured to facilitate capillary action.

10. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 9, wherein the spaces form a plurality of channels for facilitating a movement of a liquid through the threads along the length of the heater wire.

11. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 10, wherein the heater wire comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is configured to be hotter than the first portion.

12. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of channels are configured to assist in movement of the liquid from the first portion to the second hotter portion of the heater wire for re-evaporation of the liquid.

13. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 12, further comprising a condensation region and a re-evaporation region, wherein the first portion of the heater wire is disposed in the condensation region, and wherein the second portion of the heater wire is disposed in the re-evaporation region.

14. The respiratory gas conduit of claim 13, wherein the groove is configured to:

wick water that has condensed in the condensation region into a portion of the groove in the condensation region; and

transport the wicked water along a length of the groove away from the portion of the groove in the condensation region to the re-evaporation region.

15. A method, comprising:

wicking liquid from a region of condensation within a respiratory gas conduit, said wicking liquid performed by at least one groove and at least one extending fiber disposed on a heater wire, wherein said heater wire is positioned within a respiratory gas conduit, wherein said at least one extending fiber comprises a woven or braided portion and a plurality of channels positioned within said woven or braided portion, said plurality of channels being configured for facilitating a movement of a liquid in a direction generally aligned with said heater wire; and

transporting, by said at least one groove and said plurality of channels, the wicked liquid from said region of condensation within said respiratory gas conduit to a re-evaporation region,

wherein the region of condensation is a portion of the respiratory gas conduit at which water accumulates and does not evaporate and wherein the at least one groove has a first width at an outer surface of the heater wire that is less than a second width of the at least one groove.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

evaporating said transported wicked liquid by a hot surface of said heater wire in said re-evaporation region.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

heating a first portion of a surface of the heater wire that is located in the region of condensation to a first temperature; and

heating a second portion of a surface of the heater wire that is located in the re-evaporation region to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature to form the hot surface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein transporting by said at least one groove and said plurality of channels comprises drawing wicked water that is in the groove, through capillary action, towards an unwetted part of the groove.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising transporting additional liquid along a plurality of additional grooves equally spaced on the heater wire.